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News: Radiation Oncology

Jadranko “Yadi” Franjic describes lymphedema symptoms and what is done during therapy to help control the swelling in the lymphatic system. Lymphedema is most common among patients who experience trauma to their lymphatic system. Examples include cancer patients undergoing lymphatic node dissection or radiation therapy and those who suffer a traumatic injury. Swelling of the […]

Are you currently going through lung cancer or pancreatic cancer treatment or have completed therapy? Jay Groves, administrative director at Vanderbilt Dayani Center, describes the new Vanderbilt Cancer Wellness Program. This program promotes the health and wellbeing of those touched by cancer through interactive, individualized and comprehensive services that complement your standard of care. Learn […]

Radiation therapy – ionizing radiation that kills cells by producing DNA damage – is an important tool for treating human cancer. Because cancer cells can acquire resistance to radiation, Sekhar Konjeti, Ph.D., Michael Freeman, Ph.D., and colleagues are searching for ways to enhance the DNA damage produced by ionizing radiation in order to overcome cancer […]

Yong Cha, M.D., Ph.D., a Radiation Oncology resident at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has received a $25,000 grant from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) to help fund his research on the genetic underpinnings of cancer cells. The Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Research Seed Grant Award is given to support residents or fellows […]

Cranial irradiation to treat brain cancers often has long-term negative neurocognitive effects, including lowered IQ, learning difficulties and memory loss, especially in the pediatric population. Fen Xia, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues have reported that these effects may be due to radiation-induced damage to the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory. They previously […]

Jim Davidson, Ph.D., 68, a professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Vanderbilt, talked to a couple of friends and colleagues after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. One had radiation therapy in the 1970s; the other had surgery about 15 years ago. “So from my huge statistical sampling of two, I had a […]

Karen Munyon, MBA, BSRT, grew up thinking she was going to be a pharmacist; she was a pre-pharmacy major, had worked in a pharmacy, and had relatives in the field. But the year she applied to the pharmacy program, there were only 60 slots available and she was placed on the alternate list. Unsure of […]

The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center has recently opened a new suite for “stereotactic radiosurgery,” which uses the latest generation in radiation therapy technology.

Drs. Fen Xia and Anthony Cmelak observe as a patient is positioned for stereotactic radiosurgery for her tumor. This system, called Novalis TX, offers precision to the millimeter — about the width of a fingernail.